


Danse d'Amour

by baccuroth (orphan_account)



Series: Paint the Sky with Stars [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, alternate universe - empire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-05
Updated: 2014-12-05
Packaged: 2018-02-28 03:49:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2717771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/baccuroth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Concubine Levi dances at Emperor Erwin’s wedding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Danse d'Amour

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by [this fanart](http://artcrystals.tumblr.com/post/71943696839).

The skirt hung low on his hips, clasped with a brooch of priceless gems. The room was filled with the finest people the empire had to offer on this most blessed occasion.

They were ghosts to the concubine; he only had eyes for the groom, the only one to ever find paradise between his fine, strong thighs.

He began crouched, palms flat against the polished marble floor.

The drum began to beat, driving into his blood like a disease.

His skin was inked with abstractions, swirling further as he rose in a writhing twist, like the fire that sets a forest ablaze. Arms above his head, reaching for nothing, he turned quickly on the balls of his feet, and swung low, jumping into a graceful leap that had his legs splitting in the air. There was a gasp as he landed, feet slapping the floor. His hips swayed, arms snaking their way down.

It was a difficult, beautiful dance, one that was only performed for special occasions. Levi had practiced in secret, when Erwin was away on business or didn’t come to him at night. He danced on the harem terrace until he collapsed from exhaustion, until a more beautiful dance had never flown through a lover’s limbs.

All of his hard work seemed to be paying off; the emperor had removed his hand from over his new bride’s. He looked uncomfortable.

Levi unclasped his skirt and added the starry material to his dance, the silk flowing around him like a caress of mottled blue and sheer gold.

Erwin’s feet fidgeted for a moment and Levi nearly dropped the skirt as he watched. The emperor’s cheeks were painted with an innocent blush but his eyes were hunger itself.

Levi thought of Erwin only two days before, climbing into his bed with sure movements, flipping Levi onto his belly, pushing away every piece of fabric, and having him.

The room with its faces and gaudy flourishes blurred as Levi spun. He dropped to one knee, throwing the skirt into the air. It fluttered down as the drum slowed to a whisper and covered him completely, the air humming with silence.

There was polite clapping although the new empress got to her feet. Her cloak was lined with rare white tiger fur and her pale throat dripped with every sort of jewel. Levi would have thought her lovely had she not been wed that morning to the one thing his heart ached for without cease.

She plucked the skirt from Levi’s head and bade him rise. "That was beautiful, concubine.” She bowed her head slightly. “Does the dance have a meaning?”

"Yes." Levi’s throat burned into dryness, so many eyes and ears upon him. "It is the dance of love among my people."

Augusta looked up to her husband but Erwin seemed so far away, beyond the deserts and clouds where even Levi could not hope to reach him.

* * *

Erwin came to him that night. Levi had extinguished the lamps after bathing himself. The water had swirled with kohl-streaked oil. He sat up at the shimmer of beaded curtains.

Erwin breathed heavily and Levi could see through the open panels of his robe that his cock was wet from his wife’s sex.

Levi wanted to push him away but he only pulled him close, cradling his bulk between his thighs until they were one wave swallowing another and making it that much more dangerous to those ashore.

"She will never replace you," Erwin breathed. His hips snapped, pumping into Levi with a steadiness that made his entire body spasm.

This was the dance of love for Erwin’s people, found in a mess of sheets and words that tripped off Erwin’s tongue without his knowledge.

Levi’s nails always bit deep and beneath his imperial robes, Erwin relished the burn. Augusta had not asked about them and Erwin would never tell.

Erwin drew Levi into his lap, debauched love slave he was, and held him. Levi clung and gasped for breath. He wondered if Erwin could hear his heart cracking like the hull of a ship, sent off with so much hope only to sink in too-deep water, never to be salvaged for the goods left aboard unbroken.

**Author's Note:**

> read more stuff by me [here](http://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/baccuroth/works).


End file.
